As is known, laser printers use motors to impart motion to various movable components, such as mirrors, belts, drums, paper transport structures, etc. However, many modern motors rotate at speeds with fundamental commutation frequencies and harmonics in the audible range. To end users, this sometimes causes hearing annoyance, especially considering motors often vibrate connected structures such as metal frames. To avoid this, some manufacturers have focused on increasing the number of poles of a motor or by commutating with other than square wave signals, to name a few. Unfortunately, increasing motor poles does not eliminate the hearing annoyance because this just shifts the fundamental frequency and harmonics to a higher value in the audible range. With non-square wave commutation, motor feedback often requires more than the three or so typically provided feedback sensor signals. Both are also quite complex and relatively expensive.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for eliminating motor noise in laser printers. It would be particularly useful if such could be accomplished by smoothing motor commutation and doing so with typical motor components. Naturally, any improvements should further contemplate good engineering practices, such as relative inexpensiveness, stability, low complexity, etc.